New post on Plant Wash - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Chad Eneix · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

New post on Plant Wash

Jesse Bracken · Junior Member

Chad i have had the same question about the hose end sprayer. I dont think a pump up sprayer will work because the pw needs to be agitated to disolve.

I wouldnt sprinkle the gutters. I accidently spilled some pw liquid out of the sprayer 2 days later the grass in that area was brown. It was near the gutter down spout so it could have been left over sh but im pretty sure it was due th the higher than recommended pw concintrate.

Eric Owen · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

Chad,

Drill the small hole in the Ace feeder, I used the smallest bit I had but hook it to your bulk rinse pump it will put out a lot more product and make the process much faster.
Be sure not to use the quick connect and screw the hose to the feeder.

For big jobs put the Plant Wash, in your bulk rinse tank at one once per gallon the same for Bleach Wash.

For those that don't have a rinse pump yet drill the Ace feeder.

As far as sprinkling Plant Wash around it is not made to do that and it could burn the plants to high of a concentration.

If you are concerned about down spout run off after you leave the job rinse the roof or half way up, and then Plant Wash.

I have never used pump up spryers and have allways used the Ace feeder with the job site water or the rinse pump.

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Thanks for the speedy response Eric!

As Eric pointed out be very careful NOT to apply the Plant Wash directly in dry form. This is a super huge no no. Secondly please be careful not to apply more than the one ounce per gallon as directed. This is a fertilizer as well as other things. You can actually over fertilize plants and burn them with the Plant Wash.

AC

Chad Eneix · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

I drilled out the little hole in the Ace sprayer, this seemed to help a lot. We timed and observed the process with the hose end sprayer. The PW starts out pretty concentrated, then gets less and less as you spray. For about the first 2-3 minutes, you get a lot, then less and less as time goes on, until about the 7-8 minute mark, when you are getting very little. Seems like you can spray about 7-9 minutes until you need to reload. This still seems like an inconsistent, archaic and time consuming way to apply PW.

I think the bulk rinse pump is probably going to be the way to go, as Eric stated, I just don't have one yet. If I can quit buying customers new plants, maybe I can afford one.

The reason I asked about the mix rate is that there are old posts where rates are as much as 8 oz per gallon. Also, since this is a dry product, are we measuring an ounce by weight? If so, how much is that by volume of PW? Or are we just measuring a fluid ounce of dry granules and calling it close enough?

So one way to combat roof runoff is to rinse the roof half way up? Then PW? Never heard of this. I always tell customers we have a "no rinse, no agitation" policy for roofs.

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Might I Reccomend a 35 gallon ATV sprayer you can buy from Tractor Supply? It could be easily added above one of your tanks and plumbed into a 12" reel with 3/8 hose and a wand.

AC

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Chad,

if we have a roof with no gutters we rinse and then plant wash the bottom three to four feet. if there are a ton of plants and flowers we sometimes rinse half the roof and plant wash the bottom three or four feet. It does help.

Depending on the plants and how long we spray plant wash, we typically reload the sprayer every other job.

Steve Mazzuca · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

I like AC's idea of the ATV type sprayer from Tractor supply or similar. My limited experience with the hose end sprayer and PW seems similar to Chad's. Never sure if we're spraying enough or too much and I feel like Martha Stewart holding the stupid thing......LOL..

AC Lockyer · Administrator

When I get back to the LABOROTORY Ill try to come up with a 15 gallon plant wash sprayer with a 12" hose reel and 3/8 hose and gun. Ill figure out where best to house it on a skid etc.

AC

Jeffrey Kirby · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

We have been using the bulk rinse module on our Gen 3 skid. We go thru about 25-30 gallons per day

Jesse Bracken · Junior Member

Ac in an atv type sprayer will the pw need to be circulated or will it disolve on its own? Same with bw will it mix with the water or will it seperate out if sprayed like this?

And pw on the roof? Hmmmm haden't thought of that. Ever have it stain the roof or siding???

Jess

-- Edited by Jesse Bracken on Wednesday 1st of July 2015 11:28:35 PM

John Aloisio · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

We make sure we rinse it off siding. We have never had an issue on a roof. We just use it on the last couple feet so the remaining mix runs through it and is neutralized.

Chad Eneix · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

AC,

Maybe an idea would be to just add a 25-35 gallon tank somewhere and just use the bulk rinse pump. Have a selector valve to choose which tank to draw from, bulk rinse water or PW. Now all we need is a truck with an 11 foot bed.

One question I have not gotten an answer to; If you mix up bulk PW, with 1 oz per gallon, about how many gallons would one put on an average home?

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Chad,

I generally use about 30 gallons of mixed Plant Wash on the average 2,500 square foot home.

AC

Michael Derose · SoftWash Systems Certified Applicator

The problem with using the booster pump tank is that once you put the plant wash in it is really hard to rinse it out. It could take 100 to 200 gallons before it's totally rinsed out. I know from experience.

Bob Riddick · SoftWash Systems 5-Star Professional

Our newest skid has DI filter tubes on it. We found that running Plant Wash or Bleach Wash through the 40 gal. buffer tank with the booster pump clogs the filter, which then leaves a film when using the pure water DI rinse. Replacing the filter is simple and not too expensive.

Mardy Isaacs · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

What is the flo rate on those hose end sprayers? Because I have a dolly tank sprayer 30 gal that I used for

doing decks years ago. It has a 1 gpm dc pump on it. Just wondering if you all think 1 gpm is ok.

And I thought I would agitate with 5 gal mixing paddle that you put on the end of a drill, as I mix a batch.

-- Edited by AC Lockyer on Thursday 16th of July 2015 04:30:07 PM

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Mardy Isaacs wrote:
What is the flo rate on those hose end sprayers? Because I have a dolly tank sprayer 30 gal that I used for
doing decks years ago. It has a 1 gpm dc pump on it. Just wondering if you all think 1 gpm is ok.
And I thought I would agitate with 5 gal mixing paddle that you put on the end of a drill, as I mix a batch.

-- Edited by AC Lockyer on Thursday 16th of July 2015 04:30:07 PM

Mardy,

1 gpm would "work" but be very slow.

AC

Mardy Isaacs · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

Ac thanks, what would you say then if I change gpm on pump? To 3 gpm or 5 gpm

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Mardy Isaacs wrote:
Ac thanks, what would you say then if I change gpm on pump? To 3 gpm or 5 gpm

5 GPM.

Mark Fermoyle · Lead Tech Certified

Whenever I mix my PW there is always some granules at the bottom of the hose end sprayer bottle that never get mixed - no matter how much I shake it throughout my application process. Wouldn't these granules clog up the intake strainers for your pumps if you are planning to use bulk rinse or RV type sprayers?

AC Lockyer · Administrator

Mark,

It seems that when diluting one ounce per gallon in a tank sprayer the mix dilutes much better than in a hose end sprayer.

AC